


Lost and Found

by vans0nhead717



Series: Choices, Stars, Ashes, and Wishes [2]
Category: Darker Than Black
Genre: Action, Awkward Romance, Bank Robbery, Contractors, Dolls, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hei deserves to be happy, Hei gets nice things, Hei gets to be happy, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Multi, No Izanami, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Season/Series 01 AU, Self-Defense, season two does not exist, the Syndicate will be caught
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:53:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29906922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vans0nhead717/pseuds/vans0nhead717
Summary: Hei shorts out Yin's tracer when they go on the run, only for his ability to... run out?He's unable to use his ability again after that, until Yin hands him the meteor shard.What comes next, not even Amber could have predicted.How will he handle the return of those he lost?How will Misaki handle the aftermath of Hell's Gate?And how will all of these paths converge?
Relationships: Amber & Pai (Darker Than Black), Amber/Hei (Darker Than Black), Amber/Hei/Pai (Darker than BLACK), Amber/Pai (Darker than Black), Hei & Yin (Darker Than Black), Hei/Yin, Ishizaki Kanami & Kirihara Misaki
Series: Choices, Stars, Ashes, and Wishes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2201244
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. a future unsure, a heart overwhelmed

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, everyone gets their happy ending

"You're positive that nobody from the Syndicate knows about this place but you?" Hei asked again, looking seriously at the small girl in front of him.

They had escaped from Hell's Gate two days previous, spending that time moving around the city. Hei hit every Syndicate safe-house Yin could confirm wasn't compromised yet, as well as obtaining Amber's necklace from his apartment. It was a big risk, but after everything, he felt he owed it to her to obtain the gift.

He felt bad about running away from Misaki, but he couldn't risk being arrested, especially not with Yin under his protection. They finally found themselves at the safe-house Hei secretly rented to interrogate Carmine, and despite Yin's insistence that she didn't give Huang the location, he was still worried. He wasn't afraid for himself, fully aware that he could best any Syndicate assassin that came their way, but he didn't want to risk compromising Yin's safety.

"Not even Mao," she replied quietly. She had filled the sink herself, brushing her fingers over it before she continued, "And it doesn't matter if him or Huang knew."

"Why?" Hei asked.

"Huang is dead," Yin said, her eyes watering as she explained, "And neither of them gave the Syndicate unnecessary information."

A single tear fell from her eye, landing on her cheek.

She had been different the past two days, as well as during their journey into the Gate. He had to assume it was some odd symptom of Hell's Gate, making it easier for Yin to show the emotions her programming had suppressed for so long. Hei knew she could feel, having never been under the illusion that she was simply a tool, but seeing her cry still stirred some surprise in him.

Hei relaxed on the couch, groaning quietly in exhaustion as he stared at the ceiling.

The image of Amber as a child, her empty clothes resting on the bench wouldn't leave his mind. He wasn't able to dwell on it at the time, but in this moment, the reality of her sacrifice finally caught up to him.

They had met six years ago, just before their assignment to South America, (incidentally, that was not the first Amber met him,) and her ability astonished him.

Amber had spoken in the past of utilizing her ability and price to live forever, granting herself not only immortality, but also giving her the ability to choose the age she stayed at.

It was astonishing that he hadn't realized her true nature sooner. He was so caught up in his hatred of her, that he didn't even acknowledge just how young she got, just how much of her life she willingly shed.

Hei's perception of her didn't match up with her choices, and the sacrifices she was making. Were she truly as selfish as he thought, why would she be willingly to lose all of those years?

Even in South America, Amber gave up so much time - years of her life - to reverse Hei and Bai's deaths.

Hei couldn't decide if he was just so clouded by rage and grief, or if he was truly just that dense.

Yin lifted her hand from the sink, the quiet splash of the water gaining his attention as she turned to Hei with a vacant gaze. "Hei, my tracker."

His breath caught in his throat as he remembered the electronic trace the Syndicate had on their dolls, and how easily they had found her when she ran away. The Syndicate would be scrambling, so they likely wouldn't think to track her for at least a few days - until they regained their footing, but the sooner he handled that problem, the better.

Hei walked over to her, standing in front of her as he asked, "Where is it?" 

She held up her wrist, and he delicately took it in his hand, feeling for the small electric charge under her skin. It took a moment for him to locate it, and he sent the tiniest current through her skin until he felt the tracker short out. He was still calling on his ability, wanting to make sure that the tracer was beyond repair, when the glow around his body died out.

"What?" Hei murmured, frowning at his hands. He had never experienced that before, his ability only ever stopping in the past when he chose for it to. 

Yin looked at her wrist, giving the tiniest nod of approval as she remarked, "It's dead."

"I know," Hei replied in confusion, "but something went wrong..."

Hei tried to call on his ability again, feeling for that spark of power he had so easily tapped into everyday since Bai's disappearance. His eyes let out a dim red glow only for a moment, immediately dying out. 

The blue light of synchrotron radiation didn't come that time, and he could feel his power slowly slipping away from him with each passing moment. He remembered Carmine, and the way her ability slipped back and forth out of her grasp, how her eyes began to glow even when the blue light wouldn't come to her.

"My ability..." Hei murmured quietly, "something is wrong with it..."

Yin looked up at him, thinking for a moment before realization washed over her. She reached into the small pocket of her dress, pulling out the small glass-like disc she had retrieved from Amber's pouch after she disappeared, (at her instruction of course). She gently grabbed his hand, placing the meteor shard in his palm and closing his fingers around it, her hand lingering on his for just a moment.

"Try now," she suggested.

He frowned at her for a moment, brushing aside the numerous questions flooding his mind, and closing his eyes as he tried to call on his ability once more.

The bright blue light of synchrotron radiation surrounded him, the shard glowing a bright yellow. The light surrounding his body moved, flowing into the shard and dissipating around him as it grew white hot in his hand.

He dropped it, the shard continuing to glow, growing brighter and brighter as the light took on a solid shape, no, _two_ solid shapes.

Hei gasped, grabbing Yin and pulling her behind him as he reached for one of the knives on his belt. "Get back," Hei ordered, holding the knife up in front of him as Yin slowly stepped backwards.

The light slowly grew in height, slowly forming human shaped figures. The smaller figure solidified first, her dark ponytail brushing her neck as the light around her slowly died out, her combat gear from South America unchanged from how Hei saw it two days previous. She didn't move or speak, simply staring at her brother in surprise.

Hei's breath caught in his throat as Bai blinked, adjusting to the world around her before hesitantly turning to the figure beside her, slowly materializing from the light.

The second figure grew taller, taking on the shape of the much older woman she had been when Hei met her five years ago, her long blonde hair brushing her back and waist. Amber was still wearing her fluffy pink jumpsuit, fitted tight around her body. She gave a quiet gasp when her vision cleared, the light around them dying out.

The meteor shard returned to a dim glow, before its light died out completely and the small glass disc shattered on the floor, the pieces crumbling into ash. 

Hei didn't move, his weapon still raised when Yin walked over to him, gently grasping his arm and lowering it. "Hei," Yin said softly, snapping him back to reality as he dropped the knife. It hit the floor with a loud clatter.

He embraced Bai, holding her tight as if she would vanish again, before slowly releasing her and stepping back, taking in the sight before him. The two women were both in some state of shock, silent and unmoving.

Amber was the first to regain her senses, eyes widening before turning and throwing her arms around Bai, squeezing her close. Bai stood in shock for a moment, before returning her embrace.

They broke apart after a moment, just as Hei fell to his knees, his hands limp at his sides. He looked up at the girls in front of him, his mouth open in shock.

Bai was unchanged from when he last saw her, still just barely a woman, but Amber's change was dramatic. The return to her grown body must have been hard on her too, because she stumbled awkwardly when Bai released her.

"H-how?" Hei stammered, his hands trembling. Yin's hand found his back as she raised her hand, pointing to the small collection of ashes on the floor. 

Bai and Amber both looked down, eyes widening in surprise as Bai asked, "Did you know? Did you know we'd come back?"

Amber stood there, astonished for a moment before she finally answered, "I knew that _you_ would, if everything worked out as planned... But I didn't think... I don't know how I..."

Yin looked up at her. "Because you had the shard when you disappeared."

Recognition washed over Amber's face, smiling softly to herself as she murmured, "Of course... Just like Amigiri and Brita..."

Bai looked at her hand, slowly drawing on her power as bright blue light surrounded her body, before bringing it to a sudden stop. "It feels really good," she murmured to herself, turning her hand and looking down, inspecting her body and clothes as she continued, "I haven't been in my body in awhile."

"That's why I couldn't use it..." Hei said quietly, finally noticing the complete lack of power in his body, his ability finally returned to it's rightful owner.

Amber turned to him, giving him a bittersweet smile as she said, "Like I said. You were human, and you still are."

She drew on her power, feeling the passage of time slow ever so slightly before she quickly stopped. She paused for a moment, thinking, before turning to Bai. "Don't ever let me over-use my ability again," she insisted, "because being a toddler was not fun."

Bai gave a small chuckle, one of the very few genuine laughs Hei had heard from her in the ten years since she became a contractor.

Yin stood up, to Hei's surprise, walking over and wordlessly hugging Amber. She pulled away and tried to smile, clearly struggling to move the muscles in her face, before she succeeded, the corner of her lip pulling up slightly. "I did it," she said, a hint of pride in her voice as Amber flashed her a bright smile.

"You did good," Amber said softly, "I knew I could count on you."

"Wait," Hei said, slowly standing, "if you planned for Bai to return, why not just tell me that?"

"Because," Amber replied, her voice colored with amusement when she continued, "If you knew the shard could bring her back, you would have done it the moment I told you, and it would have made it harder to escape the Gate."

He pursed his lips, sighing as he gave the slightest jerk of his head in concession. Amber wasn't wrong (as per usual,) but it did annoy him slightly to be kept in the dark, _again._ Hei felt his exhaustion beginning to consume him, lazily hanging his head.

Bai walked over to Hei, extending her hand and pulling him up. "You need to sleep," she said softly.

Hei shook his head. "I'm fine," he murmured.

"You need to sleep," Bai insisted again. Hei sighed, finally nodding slowly and flopping down on the large bed in the corner. Yin followed suit, relaxing against Hei's shoulder, neither of them having slept since before they went into Hell's Gate.

"It's Yin, right?" Bai asked quietly. When she got a small nod of confirmation from the doll, Bai continued, "What's your requirement?"

Yin tilted her head slightly, before her confusion cleared with understanding and she replied, "Twelve hours of sleep for every seventy two hours."

Yin's programming had never been a problem for her. The sleep didn't have to be consecutive, she just needed to get the required amount for every three days. Hei usually finished their jobs early, and even when he didn't, her involvement was minimal enough that she was typically able to get the sleep she needed to keep her body functioning properly.

But the past two weeks had been hectic, and the sleep Yin got was just minimal enough for her to stay awake. She barely got enough sleep for her surveillance programming to function properly, slowing her response time.

"I'll keep watch," Bai insisted before turning to Amber, "and you should sleep as well."

"You're sure you'll be okay?" Amber and Hei asked in unison, before turning and shooting each other matching smiles of amusement.

Bai nodded, sitting on one of the kitchen stools as she replied, "Five years of sleep was definitely enough. I can at least stay awake until you all get the necessary amount of sleep."

Amber claimed the couch, stretching out lazily. "Wake us up at any signs of trouble," she murmured quietly.

Hei closed his eyes, protectively wrapping a single arm around Yin. Amber buried her face in the single small pillow on the couch. It wasn't too different from their dynamic in South America, save for Yin's presence. Sleep consumed them quickly, so quickly in fact that none of the three stayed awake long enough to hear Bai quietly say, "Goodnight."


	2. the sister and the partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yin and Bai have a conversation

Bai was upside-down, one of Hei's cables wrapped around her ankle and dangling her from a pull-up bar in the corner. She had designed the trap for the mouse she had heard scurrying around, only to be caught in her own design when she botched the trigger mechanism. She could wake Amber or Hei and have them free her, but despite being on their thirteenth hour of sleep, they showed no signs of stirring.

Yin however, sat up slowly next to Hei, eyes fluttering open. "Good morning," Bai murmured, covering her face. She was grateful in this moment that Yin was blind.

She turned to Hei next to her, gently stroking his hair before standing and walking over to the sink. It only took a moment for her to fill it enough to submerge her hand. The dim blue light of her observation spirit appeared in the sink, and she gave a slight smile. Bai looked at it with interest for a moment, the small shapeless blob resting on the water.

"You're hanging upside-down," Yin remarked.

Yin returned to Hei, pulling a small switchblade from his waist, before walking over and handing it to Bai. "Wait a moment," Yin insisted. She returned to the bed, grabbing a single pillow and placing it beneath Bai. "There."

Bai smiled slightly, reaching up to slice the cable around her ankle, falling to the floor with a quiet _thud._ She brushed herself off, and accepted Yin's extended hand, pulling herself up to her feet. "Thank you," she said softly.

Yin picked up a small stool, moving it to sit in front of the sink as she dipped her hand into the cool water. Her gaze grew even more vacant as the water pulsed around her hand, signaling the use of her spector.

Bai brought a chair to sit next to her, resting her hands on her legs. "What are you looking for?" she asked quietly, watching Yin's index finger trace a small circle in the water.

"Checking the sector for activity," Yin replied, "and doing a grid scan for other surveillance spectors."

Bai tilted her head ever so slightly in intrigue. She had always found dolls fascinating, so she hesitantly asked, "What happens if there are other dolls in the sector?" 

"If it's police surveillance, I can usually cut our link to the network so we can't be located," Yin explained, her voice blank as she continued, "If I can't, or if the doll isn't linked to any network, I just ask them not to report on us."

"Does that work?"

Yin lifted her hand from the water, reaching for a hand towel as she gently dried it off. "Yes," she replied, giving no indication that further explanation was warranted.

She frowned for a moment, but brushed it aside, simply choosing to believe Yin's confidence in herself was justified. Hei didn't trust almost anyone, but he trusted Yin, so Bai figured she could as well.

Yin didn't move, or even shift her gaze when she quietly asked, "What was it like to be a part of Hei?"

Bai was a bit taken off guard, but she thought for a moment and shrugged. "It was like I was split between two worlds," she said slowly, thinking about how best to describe the experience, "Part of me was awake, seeing the world through his eyes, but unable to do anything. The other part of me was constantly bombarded by his thoughts, which was _not_ fun."

Yin tilted her head ever so slightly. "You could hear his thoughts?" she asked, a note of interest in her voice.

Bai jerked her head slightly, pursing her lips as she tried to remember how it felt. "Sorta but not exactly... More like, I felt them. It made me sad," she explained quietly, frowning as she continued, "I always knew he hated being with the Syndicate... but I never knew just how hard it was for him. And our parents..."

"He never told me what happened to them," Yin replied.

Bai's expression fell cold when she murmured, "When I became a contractor, I was nine. The Gates had only been around for a week when I turned... Nobody understood. My parents didn't get why I was being so quiet and distant..."

"But Hei never questioned me," she continued, "Two weeks passed, and he was the only one who was patient with me. School was cancelled, everything was so chaotic. But Hei... he helped me. I started practicing my power, on the TV, on soda cans, and I didn't know why I had to sleep after. I just needed to, so I'd tell him, and he'd carry me to my bed. He never questioned me, not even when our parents died."

"I killed them. Not on purpose - I didn't have control of my power yet..." she explained. The guilt on her face was tangible, but it was less because of what she had done, and more because of how it affected Hei. "They finally got sick of how I was... Yelled at me. So I used my power on them, in front of Hei. He didn't react, he just held me when I fell asleep, and then we ran away."

Yin nodded softly. "He said the Syndicate found you both a few months after you left home."

"Yeah," Bai said, "and they said he could come with. Said he was an ideal recruitment, since my price was sleep and he would do anything to keep me safe. I shouldn't have let him join though. It was the worst thing I ever did to him."

Yin shook her head, reaching over and gently grasping Bai's hand. "You're wrong," she said quietly. Bai lifted her head, looking sadly at Yin as she continued, "He thought you died, or even if you were alive, he'd never see you again. And that was worse for him. Worse than the Syndicate."

Bai smiled slightly to herself, looking fondly at Hei asleep in the corner. Her focus returned to Yin as she replied, "You're strange for a doll, you know that?" Yin raised her head as Bai quickly corrected herself, "It's a good thing, it is."

"It's because of Hei," Yin insisted, "He taught me how to feel again. He was different from the others... he cares. Even when he pretends he doesn't. I just wish he..."

"Wish what?" Bai asked quietly. A hint of sadness flashed on Yin's face as her eyes flitted in Hei's direction. Bai's confusion cleared with recognition, before she smiled and said, "He does. He does love you."

Yin's expression changed more dramatically than Bai had ever seen it, surprise flooding her face. "How do you know?"

Bai chuckled, her face softening significantly when she gently reminded Yin, "I spent five years living inside Hei. He spent a year thinking about you constantly, and I mean, all the time." She paused and let out a small sigh. "Honestly, it was almost sad to watch, because he's just so clueless. If you _do_ want to be with him, you absolutely can, but Hei will never make the first move."

She scratched the back of her head with an expression of mild annoyance on her face as she continued, "Really, he is never going to take the hint. You'll _have_ to tell him first, or he'll spend the rest of his life trying to ignore his feelings, because he'll never realize on his own that you feel the same way."

Yin gave a slight awkward smile after a moment of struggle, hesitantly asking, "You're sure?"

"Yes," Amber replied confidently. Bai and Yin turned to her in surprise as she began slowly sitting up, before walking from the couch to the fridge.

"There you go," Bai said. 

Amber pulled out a water bottle, tossing it at Bai's back. The smaller girl immediately raised her hand behind her head, catching it with a firm grip before she turned and smirked at Amber. "Like I said," Bai murmured, turning her wrist slightly, "It's really nice to be back in my own body."

"Yin," Amber began, "Did you-"

"I checked the sector and did a grid scan. No problems yet, and the Syndicate still hasn't begun hunting us yet," Yin replied. 

Amber simply smiled, nodding before she sat back down on the couch. "You can sleep now Bai," she said. "Hei will probably be up soon, so we'll get moving when you wake up." She turned to Yin. "Is there anything in the city you need?"

Bai flopped down on the bed next to Hei, closing her eyes the moment her head hit the pillow. Yin turned her attention to Amber, and simply shook her head before replying, "Hei got my stuff from the shop."

"Alright," Amber said, "I have to go out for a bit, I gotta get us some money. Yin, keep watch while they sleep, and put a trace on me. Send your spector out at the first sign of trouble. Okay?"

Yin moved her chair over, returning her hand to the cold water in the sink before she gave Amber a nod, the shadow of a smile not leaving her face even after Bai fell asleep and Amber departed.


	3. a robbery beyond time and a note beyond reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misaki arrives at an strange crime scene, only to get an ever stranger note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like to think Amber chose Misaki solely because of Hei's trust in her
> 
> i think it says alot about Misaki that Hei canonically trusted her, even as little as he did

Misaki frowned at the bank’s entrance from the driver’s seat of her blue Porsche, flipping open her phone and calling Kanami in frustration.

“Please tell me you have a messier code for the bank robbery?” Misaki asked, her exhaustion clear in her voice.

“UB-001,” Kanami replied. “It’s the first activity her star has shown since it’s reappearance, and the only activity in the sector in two days.”

Kanami had informed Misaki of the contractor’s return the night previous, and the complete lack of activity from the former Evening Primrose leader since. 

“I don’t understand,” Misaki murmured in frustration. “Why hit a bank, especially after everything that’s happened this week? And nobody was hurt, the only reason they even noticed the robbery was because she left a note.”

“A note?” Kanami asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Misaki replied, “I didn’t get to read it yet, but according to the employee who called it in, it was a fucking _apology_ note for stealing money from them. That was how they figured out money was missing in the first place.”

Kanami chuckled softly, before suddenly gasping to herself. Misaki heard the distinct sound of rifling papers as Kanami quickly said, “Actually, I think I may have found an answer, or at least Hanada did. When we got some of the Syndicate’s files on their contractors, from Pandora, Hanada found her dossier.”

“And?” Misaki hurriedly asked.

“Hmmm, yeah, yeah,” Kanami muttered, “UB-001, codename Amber, chronal manipulation, payment unknown.”

Misaki thought for a moment before replying, “Okay, so she manipulated time in order to rob the bank. But still, why leave a note?” 

Saito knocked gently on her car window, startling her. She quickly ended her conversation with Kanami, rolling down her window as Saito handed her a small piece of paper, whispering, “You’re mentioned in it.”

_Hello,_

_To whatever bank employee finds this, I must say, I am terribly sorry for the less than humble sum of money I stole from your bank._

_But thank you for the future you have bought us._

_To the cop that receives this note - please deliver this directly to Chief Kirihara._

_Misaki. I need to thank you as well. You did my friends and I quite the favor, letting **him** go. Don’t worry, we will be out of your city shortly. I have no intention to cause anymore harm in Tokyo, and now that he has been reunited with his sister, he will not be an issue for your police any longer._

_I would recommend you don’t mention this note to any of your superiors. In fact, it would probably be safest for you to hide or destroy it. The Syndicate will come knocking soon, and a personal thank you note from me would probably not be perceived well._

_Hei trusted you with quite a lot, so now I will trust you with this. The recorder I returned to your pocket that day has a message hidden on it. Play it in reverse when you get the chance, it’ll help you find concrete proof of their existence, as well as help you to bring them down. Don’t disappoint me._

_\- Amber_

Misaki’s jaw dropped, and she debated her options for a brief moment before gathering her resolve and turning to Saito. “Do not,” she whispered sternly, “mention this note to _anybody_. No matter what the circumstances. We will both be in danger, real danger, if you do. Am I clear?”

Saito nodded quickly, before he narrowed his eyes and pulled a small lighter from his pants pocket, pressing it into her palm. “Here,” he murmured softly. 

She shot him a small smile, returning her attention to the note after he walked away. She hesitantly clicked the lighter, pausing for a moment.

“Hei…” she murmured quietly to herself, “For your sake, and mine, I sure hope this works.”

Misaki flicked her wrist, bringing the lighter’s small flame to the corner of the paper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will be yin and hei


	4. his heart, trembling in her hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yin comforts Hei, and then takes Bai's advice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yin and hei is my fucking addiction

Hei woke up only a few short hours after Amber departed, sitting up with a quiet gasp. He couldn’t catch his breath, unable to rouse himself from his nightmare. Yin’s arms found him immediately, holding him as she softly said, “Hei.”

He was still gasping for air when she gently grasped his chin, turning his face so his focus fell on Bai, sleeping soundly next to him. Hei relaxed slightly, at least some of his anxiety quelled by the sight of his sister. “It’s alright,” Yin insisted, “She’s okay, you’re okay.”

His hands found Yin’s face, falling down to rest around her neck and leaning against her shoulder. “Okay,” he murmured quietly, “okay.”

Yin looked down at Bai, not wanting to rouse the small girl. Her movements were slow and careful as she gently guided Hei to the couch, only leaving his side momentarily to bring a small bowl of water over. She placed it delicately on the table next to the couch.

She dipped her hand back into the cool water, putting her other arm around him, her hand resting firm on his arm. He was resting against her shoulder, slowly breathing in and out.

Hei had learned to work through his panic attacks long ago, but that didn’t make the experience any less miserable for him. And Yin would never admit it - too afraid that it would compel Hei to hide his pain - but it was miserable for her to watch as well.

When Hei finally regained his senses and felt his breathing steady, he lifted his head from her shoulder to gently ask, “Did you get enough sleep?”

Yin lifted the corners of her mouth in a slight smile, the action clearly becoming less and less difficult for her as she replied, “Yes, more than I needed. Bai fell asleep after Amber went out. She needed to get money.”

Hei rolled his eyes, unsurprised but slightly amused as he replied, “Where?”

“Resona Bank Tokyo Branch,” Yin recited, slowly tracing two of her fingers over the surface of the water, “Near the Tokyo Dome. She got out before you woke up. Just passed the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department building.”

It took every bit of resolve in Hei not to ask how it went. He knew how it went - never having any doubts about Amber’s capabilities - but that wasn’t the issue. He knew there wasn’t anyway she could have managed it without at least some use of her ability.

Her price had a tendency to be a bit inconsistent, especially if it involved reversing time, and _that_ was what worried Hei.

Hei decided to simply hope he wouldn’t be confronting a teenage girl when she returned, only to be caught off guard when Yin answered his question for him. “She doesn’t look much younger. Maybe a few months at most,” she remarked.

He smiled at her, pushing away the strong instinct to hide the affection for her that threatened to overwhelm him. “Thank you,” he said softly, gently grasping her hand.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Yin explained.

“No,” Hei said, reaching up to turn her face towards him, “I mean thank you. For everything.”

Yin shook her head, smiling slightly at him. “We’re partners,” she insisted, a note of pride in her voice, “You don’t ever have to thank me.”

He grinned at her - the same type of warm smile that made Li Shengshun seem so _very_ unthreatening - except it wasn’t disingenuous in the slightest. He didn’t falsify himself for her, and he never would. He remained silent for a moment before he realized she couldn’t see him smiling.

“Look at me,” Hei said softly, her hand remaining firmly held in his.

The water in her bowl pulsed slightly as the dim blue glow of her spector appeared, and as she looked at his face, he caught the shadow of a smile creeping onto her face.

“You’re smiling,” Yin remarked quietly.

He nodded slightly. “Because of you.”

Hei could have sworn he saw her brows furrow slightly for a moment before she asked, “Me?”

“Yeah, because of you. Yin,” he said softly.

She slowly lifted her hand from the bowl, wiping it on her dress and placing it on his chest. She didn’t speak for a moment, simply holding him still while she thought. “I want to say something,” she finally said quietly, “but I don’t know how.”

Hei tilted his head slightly, before he nodded and replied, “I’m not gonna go anywhere.”

Yin turned his hand over, gently slipping her thumb between his fingers and palm. She struggled to gather her thoughts, pursing her lips slightly. She had always been good at reading other people, but bad at speaking for herself.

“I know… I know what I am,” she began quietly. “I know I’m just a doll, and you say that doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t,” Hei insisted, looking at her seriously.

“Still. The way I talk, the way I show my feelings, it’ll always be different,” Yin said, “But I can say this. I want to stay with you, if you’ll let me. If you want me. Because… I want to be with you. I love you.”

Hei’s eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as he stammered, “Yo-you love... me?”

“I do,” Yin insisted, tightening her grasp on his hands. “I do, I know I do.”

Hei flushed a bright pink and swallowed, trying to push down the fluttering nervous feeling in his stomach. It took every bit of resolve in him not to slip into his Li persona - because _he_ would be able to respond to this properly - but he wouldn’t pretend to her.

“I’m not good with words,” Hei finally began slowly, his lips pulling slightly on either side in frustration. “Or feelings, honestly. But you _are not_ just a doll to me, and you never have been. I mean, you are a doll, factually, but you're so much more. To me, more than anyone. I just - damnit, this is hard - I just... I… I lo-love you too…”

Yin’s arms found his back, pulling him close. She buried her face in his shirt, smiling to herself as her fingers tightening around the smooth black fabric. 

Hei felt all of his anxiety immediately melt away at her embrace, resting his head against hers. Somehow, the knowledge that she did love him, and that he was more than just a protector to her, made it so easy for him to brush aside all of his reservations.

“I love you,” he whispered again, his lips just barely brushing her forehead.

“ _Rakastan sinua ikuisesti_ ,” she murmured softly, as his hand ran through her hair.

“What does it mean?” Hei asked. It was Finnish, no doubt about it - his experience with the Syndicate had taught him enough about most languages to recognize it - but he had no clue as to what it could mean.

Yin pulled away, giving him a small smile. And it _was_ small, but he could just _feel_ the emotion behind it, and her voice had hints of joy in it when she answered, “I love you forever. It’s my mother’s language.”

Hei beamed at her, before resting his head against her shoulder as he whispered against her ear, “In that case, _rakastan sinua ikuisesti.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rakastan sinua ikuisesti - I love you forever in Finnish
> 
> I always feel it's worth noting that I read a lot about love declarations in different cultures, and from what I understand, that kind of declaration is a lot more serious than the common-place American "I love you"
> 
> Declarations like that seem to typically be saved for incredibly serious relationships. Basically, I picked that because I feel like Yin and Hei are a lot more committed to each other, and I wanted a declaration that was... I don't know, more intense, I guess


	5. and the dream becomes real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber returns from the bank. Where do they go from there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like to imagine Yin having explicit confirmation of Hei's feelings served to accelerate her growth

Amber’s hair was in a long side braid, bouncing and knocking her shoulder as she made her way back to the safe house. The backpack she was wearing felt heavy, the countless stacks of bills barely allowing her to zip it closed.

She slipped into an alleyway a few blocks away from her destination, closing her eyes and drawing ever so slightly on her power. It was always an incredible feeling, a spark of power in her chest. She drew on it, waiting for it to bend before she pulled on the metronome behind her eyes and pushed it forward. 

_ Tick. Tick. Tick. Ticktickticktickticktick. _

The red shine of her pupils and bright blue light pouring from her body cleared her vision as time unravelled in her mind.

It only took a moment of concentration to find what she was looking for - only being a few short hours later - and nodding in satisfaction as she watched Misaki hesitantly plug the recorder into her computer. The brunette reversed the tape, slipping headphones in her ears before she gave a silent gasp.

Amber smiled to herself, releasing the spark of power in her chest and returning her imaginary metronome to its regular speed and position.

_ Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. _

She pulled the hood of her blue and white blocked top over her head as she rolled her eyes. It only took a moment for it to begin to rain. “The one time I didn't bother to check the weather…” she murmured in annoyance.

She was about to walk out of the alley when she stopped, ducking behind the wall. A loud siren passed her, just as Yin’s spector appeared in a puddle next to her. Amber had always found observation spirits so aesthetically pleasing, the lack of any robust shape only further lending to their mysterious charm.

And it did lack any robust shape, at least in this timeline. 

_ Hei and Bai are awake. _

It was difficult to describe the type of communication dolls were capable of through their spirits, some combination of telepathy and one way verbal speech.

“I’ll be back in five,” Amber replied under her breath, before thinking for a moment and quickly adding, “Make it ten. We need food.”

_ Understood. _

She reached into her backpack, pulling out a single stack and delicately removing four bills. The convenience store she chose wasn’t ideal, but the various instant ramens and bentos would at least suffice to feed them until they were out of Pandora’s domain; in reality it was more the Syndicate’s domain, but the two were essentially synonymous at this point.

“Not authentic Japanese cuisine for sure,” she murmured to herself, “but it’ll do.”

She spaced out, thinking primarily of her empty stomach as she made her way through the streets, carefully avoiding any nearby power lines.

Yin’s spector was next to her on the street.  _ Observation spector on the next street. Routine check.  _

“Cut the neighborhood’s link to the network,” Amber instructed quietly, “I won’t be able to get back without passing it.”

_ Done. _

She blinked once, and Yin’s spector was gone. The large puddles in the street splashed under her shoes as she jogged back to the safe house, quickly knocking seven times on the door when she arrived.

“It’s Amber,” she said softly, as Yin pulled the door open.

Hei was in the corner, doing a handstand. The sight was a bit ridiculous, his cherry red face in deep concentration as Bai sat in front of him, mindlessly tapping her fingers on the floor.

Yin gave a small smile at Amber, gently closing the door behind her. Amber didn’t speak, merely hopping onto the couch and unzipping her bag, pouring every stack of bills onto the table. It was gratuitous, some of the stacks even falling onto the floor. 

Bai’s mouth fell open slightly, as Hei lost his balance, almost falling onto his face before Yin caught his ankle, holding him steady as he pushed himself onto his hands and knees. 

They were all silent for a moment, before Bai quietly said, “Yin said you hit a bank… but this… is a lot.”

“That’s alright,” Amber replied casually, her lips turning up into a knowing smirk. “I’m sure Misaki seems to have forgiven me. And she better, considering I  _ literally disappeared  _ in order to help you two save Tokyo.”

Hei’s eyes widened slightly, but it was  _ Bai’s  _ jaw that dropped. “You didn’t actually leave the note?” 

Amber nodded as Hei coughed slightly. “What note?” he asked, a note of concern in her voice.

“I gave her something,” Amber explained, her voice as deadpan as it had been when they met her six years ago. “That day, I gave her a way to deal with the Syndicate. I only chose that bank because it was big enough to draw the cops attention. The note gave her instructions on how to find it.”

Anger colored Hei’s face, but he remained outwardly calm. “And if she didn’t find the note before someone else?”

“I’m not dumb, Hei,” Amber scolded. “Besides, Astronomics has an alert on for my star. They knew I hit that bank, probably before the bank did. And since Misaki oversees contractor related crimes, and she has a  _ particular  _ interest in us, I knew she’d show.”

Hei was glaring by this point, before Bai poked him and gave him an incredibly gentle shock. 

“You seem to keep forgetting Amber can also see the future,” Bai pointed out.

Amber waved her hand towards Bai’s in satisfaction. “There’s also that,” she said.

Yin sat next to Amber, gently picking up a stack of bills and running her finger over the edge, smiling slightly to herself. “I’m with Amber on this one,” she said quietly, a note of amusement in her typically deadpan voice. “You tend to… ignore things like that. You forget that I’m blind. Often.”

Hei simply frowned, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “So everyone just gangs up on me now?”

“After years of anger and loneliness, I’d think you’d appreciate some light teasing. You’re being… - damnit, what’s the phrase - you’re being a bad sport,” Bai complained.

“I certainly prefer it,” Hei shot back, his voice an odd midpoint between amusement and frustration. “But Yin is the only one in this room that  _ didn’t  _ trick me for five years, so she’s the only one that can make fun of me without annoying me.”

That earned a smile from Yin, who walked over to Hei and gently patted his head, jokingly - with just a hint of pride - insisting, “I win,” which inspired a shared chuckle between Amber and Bai.

“Yes you do,” he replied with a warm smile, sitting up straighter and allowing Yin to sit with him and rest her head against his chest. His arm wrapped protectively around the small girl before he returned his attention to Amber, hesitantly asking, “So how much did you actually get?”

“Enough to get us a place wherever we want,” Amber replied. “And ensure we never have to work as agents again.”

“That’s great,” Bai said with a curious smile, “But we’d need to find an area where the Syndicate has little to no standing. Whether Misaki succeeds or not, it won’t be soon enough to justify waiting.”

“Alright,” Hei murmured, his brows furrowing as he continued, “that rules out Britain, Russia, the United States, most of Asia, and all of South America.”

South America was largely lost to humanity - Bai saw to that much - but what remained of the continent was almost entirely claimed by the Syndicate under the front of Pandora. 

Their excuse was public safety, but not long after Heaven’s War ended, their attempts to breach the impenetrability zone quickly became drastic enough that South America’s exclusion was less about safety, and more about secrecy. 

South America was also why Hei didn’t mention Africa. He had no intent of picking a forever home in a climate so painfully similar to what he endured during Heaven’s War, and he was sure the others wouldn’t as well.

“Our best options are probably the Nordic countries,” Amber said, “or Southern Europe. But we have plenty of time to decide.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“What about Finland?” Yin asked softly.

All three sets of eyes turned to her, the small girl giving no indication that she even spoke, still just resting against Hei’s chest with her face blank as usual. Her gaze was vacant as normal, but a smile creeped onto her face before she spoke again.

“We can go to Finland.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, in my headcanon, Amber can see the future, but only by choice
> 
> Basically, she isn't omniscient. The future isn't something Amber knows, she has to actively use her ability and pay her price in order to look forward, meaning if she CHOSE to, she could know everything, she simply chooses when she wants to
> 
> i also imagine actually moving through time - reversing it or sometime - is much more costly for her than simply stopping it, or looking forward


	6. a doll in stillness, bittersweet hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yin and Hei spend some time together
> 
> Amber and Bai retrieve a new ally
> 
> Misaki and Kanami get some help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am gonna LOVE developing Pitch
> 
> I always wanted to do a Doll evolution storyline but every doll we meet already got that

Hei was lying on the couch, lazily twirling a small switchblade between his fingers. The blade was retracted into the tiny black handle, topped with a smooth velvety grip. Yin was relaxed against his shoulder, his other hand gently stroking her hair.

Bai and Amber had gone out, having decided to hit various other Syndicate safe-houses for supplies. Their lack of weaponry was problematic, and Hei only had so many knives to lend them.

They had also decided to retrieve a reconnaissance doll - one like Yin, independent enough not to be a hindrance on the group. Amber was planning on using him for the attack on Hell’s Gate, until she found the required dolls in another place.

It had taken a while for Amber and Hei to convince Bai that the risk was worth it; although Hei’s motivation was less rationality and more his odd soft spot for dolls that he couldn’t help but act on.

He turned the knife away from himself, flicking a small slide on the handle. The blade was perfectly symmetrical, and even sharper than any of his tactical knives, but it’s small size made it not worth using for anything other than a last resort.

“Give me your hand,” Hei instructed gently.

They had changed her look significantly in order to prepare for leaving Japan; her appearance being the most distinct out of any of them. Her hair had been dyed a soft auburn, wearing a basic blue blouse and black skirt. Hei had given her his green jacket - which Yin was overjoyed to receive, refusing to remove it ever since - and the overall drastic shift in her appearance was incredibly effective. 

She was almost unrecognizable, and had Hei not memorized every detail of her face and voice, he might wonder if it was actually her. She lifted her head and held her hand out, before Hei retracted the blade and pressed the handle into her palm.

“Do you know how to use this?” he asked softly.

Yin nodded slightly, turning it in her hands and flicking the blade outwards. “Yes.”

Hei shook away his reservations, choosing to simply trust her confidence. “Keep that on you always, alright? You’ll probably never need it, but it’ll be comforting for me to know you aren’t unarmed.”

“Okay,” she replied quietly, pressing the slide down. The blade quickly slid back, and she pushed the safety switch, locking the blade into the handle. She slipped it into one of the hidden pockets in the lining of his jacket - hers, at this point - and zipped the pocket shut.

Yin pressed her face against his shoulder, reaching over to gently grasp his hand. “Tell me a story.”

“A story?” Hei replied curiously, taken off guard by the sudden demand.

The corners of her mouth twitched slightly. “Mother used to tell me stories,” she said softly, tracing a delicate finger over Hei’s hand. “She made me feel safe, loved. And she’d tell me stories. When she died, I was so sad, but only for a moment. That night, that was the night the Gates appeared.”

Yin squeezed his hand tighter as she sadly said, “By morning, I couldn’t feel anymore, and I didn’t want to hear stories anymore. But…” she trailed off, her brows furrowing slightly. “Now I can feel again. I feel safe again. Loved. Because of you.”

Hei smiled down at her, stroking her hair. “Good. I want you to feel that way,” he told her.

“So can you tell me a story?”

He nodded, falling silent as he tried to think of what to tell her. Most of his stories from childhood brought up far too many painful memories to recount; but almost every story he had from after he left home was equally uncomfortable to tell, primarily because almost all of them involved the Syndicate in at least some capacity.

He settled on a story about him and Bai, one that was just removed enough from the touchy parts of his past for him to tell without discomfort.

“We grew up in Beijing, and the winters were cold, but it usually didn’t snow enough for us to have fun outside,” he began, smiling to himself. “When I was thirteen, there was a storm, a big one too. The snow was deeper than we’d ever seen it, and Bai wanted me to take her sledding so badly.”

He laughed softly, shaking his head. “So I bring her to this hill near our house, and we had to sneak out for this; our parents really didn’t want us to go. I let her sled a bit, and when I finally join her, mine flips over on my first go down the hill.”

Hei unbuttoned the cuff of his white button up, pulling his left sleeve up around his elbow. He brought her hand to his forearm, pressing her fingers against a tiny imperfection in his radius bone. 

“It feels weird.”

Hei smiled, one of the warmest he had since before Bai became a contractor. “I shattered it,” he explained, “and it’s still a bit off. Bai helped me back to the house, and our parents were  _ so angry.” _

Yin looked up at him, eyes widening ever so slightly, a curious note in her expression. “Did you get in trouble?”

Hei shook his head, a bittersweet expression on his face. “They said a broken arm was punishment enough.”

Her lips pursed slightly, the shadow of a frown hiding in her eyes. “Do you miss them?” she asked hesitantly.

“I don’t know,” Hei replied sadly. “I don’t know how to feel.”

Yin sat up and stared at him. Her vision was foggy, shadows and shapes, but she could clearly make out the sharp angles of his jaw and cheekbones. “Me, Bai, Amber. Are we really still human?” she asked.

“Maybe,” he replied. “Maybe not. Does it matter?”

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. He gasped softly, blushing a dark red. “Wh-what… uh… ca-can I…” he stammered nervously, before he coughed once, gathering his composure before he hesitantly murmured, “Can I... kiss you? For real?”

She nodded with an eagerness Hei had never seen from the girl. He reached up, cradling her small face between his hands and tracing his thumbs over her cheeks.

Hei brushed his nose against hers, lifting her face slightly as he gently pressed his lips against hers.

It was a bit of an awkward adjustment - a moment of stillness - before he intensified the kiss ever so delicately. She tried to mimic the slow press and pull of his lips, quickly gaining an understanding of the proper way to move her lips against his.

Hei smiled against her lips, slowly pulling away and resting his forehead against hers. 

“Was that okay?” Yin asked, the faintest pink flush flooding her cheeks.

He smiled, giving a soft laugh. “More than okay,” he assured her. 

\---

Bai gave the electronic lock a single small zap. It immediately short circuited, and the door swung open. Amber knelt down and allowed the small teen to climb onto her back. “Hold on,” she instructed.

“I still don’t understand,” Bai complained, “Why do we have to get this doll anyways?”

Amber rolled her eyes in frustration. “Because,” she sighed, “we’re gonna need a backup reconnaissance if we wanna make it out of Tokyo. And besides, I didn’t tell Hei, but he’s about to be wiped anyways.”

“Wiped?” 

She nodded, throwing a wire up to the top of the stairwell and tugging hard on it. “We were going to use him for Hell’s Gate, but Alma came through at the last moment,” she explained. “I had one of my illusionists working with this crime family, since they’re deep into the doll trade.”

Amber pressed a small button on her belt and the cord retracted, pulling them quickly up to the top of the stairwell. She landed with a quiet thud on the ground, and Bai’s fingers curled tight around her hoodie.

“Anyways,” she continued, “his behavioral programming wasn’t holding strong, just like Yin. They eventually gave up on reprogramming him, and he was scheduled for termination two days before the peak in the cycle.”

“Why didn’t they?” Bai asked, a curious edge coloring her voice.

“I pulled all of EPR’s undercover agents out,” she explained. “And the chaos in the city in the week before the attack on the Gate made them overlook the doll.”

Bai rolled her eyes. “Fine, but I still don’t get why we had to sneak in.”

“Just go to sleep,” Amber insisted. “We have fifteen minutes before we have to be out of here, and I can’t carry you  _ and  _ the doll.”

Bai had only used an ounce of power - her payment likely wouldn’t take more than two minutes. She tightened her arms around Amber’s neck, closing her eyes and resting her head against Amber’s shoulder.

She was asleep by the time Amber pushed open a heavy door that looked like it had been decorated with aged wooden papering, while it’s weight reminded her of the bank vault she had broken into two days previous.

The room had various desks, all of which empty and covering in papers and files and binders. Nobody was there, save for a small boy sitting on the desk in the corner.

He was a brunette, taller than Bai but just shorter than Amber. His tank top was a soft pastel pink, just as raggedy as the small black shorts they fell just above his knees. He was perfectly still, staring forward with a blank expression on his face.

The boy was gripping a stapler between his hands - his medium being any type of metal - and he raised his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement of Amber’s arrival.

She beelined to him, gently placing Bai in a chair next to them before turning to the doll.

“I’m Amber. Yin spoke to you?” Amber asked softly.

He placed the stapler on the desk and stepped down to stand in front of her. “Yes,” he replied.

“We’re gonna take you somewhere safe, alright?” she assured him. “What’s your name?”

“Moscow three.”

Amber’s brows furrowed for a moment in confusion before he quietly explained, “The family names dolls after the location they’re found. The number is because I’m the third doll they got from that area.”

Amber thought, pausing until she asked, “Do you have a favorite color?”

He didn’t reply, simply standing in silence for a moment before he reached down, gently squeezing the fabric of his shorts.

“Black?” she asked. He gave a single small nod, earning a smile from her as she gave his hair an affectionate ruffle. “Black.  _ Pitch _ black,” she murmured to herself. “Can I call you Pitch?”

He gave another nod, before Amber reached into her pocket and pulled out a small metal necklace chain with a wishbone charm on it. She had bought it just before they came to get the boy, and she presented it to him.

“So you can use your medium,” she explained. “I got it earlier today.”

Pitch didn’t move for a moment, before slowly reaching up and accepting the necklace. He slowly undid the clasp and put it around his neck, struggling for a moment before Amber reached over and fixed it. She let go, and the chain fell around his neck, the charm resting just above his chest.

“Thank… you….” he said quietly, his words broken into smaller fragments.

He must have some kind of odd programming, because his speech was perfect when relaying information or following orders, but saying anything else seemed to be a struggle for him.

Bai stirred, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

“Bai, meet Pitch,” Amber said, before gesturing to Bai, “and Pitch, this is Bai.”

He raised his head slowly. “Hello…. Bai….” he said slowly.

\---

“Why do they keep hitting places that have nothing to do with contractors?” Kanami groaned, relaxing on Misaki’s couch.

“Well,” Misaki said, “I think the bank was simply because they needed money. The office building they broke into is a front for the Yamamoto family, and they’re deep into the doll trade.”

“Alright,” Kanami sighed, “so they probably got a medium - two, given our star analysis. From what I understand, BK-201 is almost always with the same doll. I’ve never seen a medium’s star so closely tied to a contractor’s, it’s almost like a binary star. Now there are  _ two  _ stars tied to him, although the second seems more attached to UB-001. But why leave a note at the bank?”

Misaki took a deep breath and reached for her laptop, opening it and rapidly typing in her password. “Listen,” she began, “You can repeat  _ none of this _ , no matter who asks, or why. You could put yourself - and me for that matter - in serious danger. Understood?”

Kanami nodded hesitantly. “So this Amber woman,” Misaki continued, “UB-001. She gave me something that day, don’t ask me how because I don’t know, but she gave me something to help take down the Syndicate.”

“And?” Kanami asked, the hint of excitement in her voice betrayed her calm facade.

“I brought a recorder with me that day,” she continued, “and the note she left me said to play it in reverse. She also mentioned Hei’s sister, and that she’s with them again, so that could explain his star’s bizarre activity last week.”

Kanami frowned for a moment. “So you think she’s back? What does that mean for him?”

“My best guess? Given BK-201’s activity today, and the description of the people who broke into the Yamamoto building, I have to assume  _ she  _ is the one with the power,” Misaki murmured, plugging her recorder into the computer. 

“Listen to this,” Misaki instructed, pressing play.

_ If you’re hearing this, I’m assuming you’re connected to Hei somehow. This message needs to be used no matter what -  _ **_at least if the future hasn’t been changed._ **

_ If you’re a member of Section Three listening to this, then it is far too late, and all hope is lost. _

_ If you’re listening to this immediately after the attack on Hell’s Gate, then we still have a chance. _

_ Check with Astronomics, and ensure that the star BK-201 temporarily went dark before moving into the payment phase. If it hasn’t, something went wrong and you must disregard this message and destroy whatever you are hearing this on. _

_ If the stars HL-210 and PF-348 have fallen within a week of the attack on Hell’s Gate, then our plan has failed, and Hei is doomed regardless of what we do. They’re both Syndicate assassins, and if they die, it’s because they were sent after Hei and he killed them. _

_ If one or both of them is alive when you hear this, then nothing has gone wrong yet, and you  _ **_will_ ** _ be able to do this. _

_ The Syndicate’s primary servers include the dossiers and files on every contractor and doll in their organization, as well as information on every single Syndicate executive. You’ll find concrete proof of what they’ve done - including what they had planned for the Gates. _

_ The primary servers are in Pandora, under the guise of MIAC Research Building Nineteen, which should still be under Section Four’s jurisdiction. You shouldn’t have any problem getting access to them - the Syndicate thinks they’ve hidden themselves well enough not to need the protective measure that might prevent their discovery. _

_ Find the servers, and bring the Syndicate down, or else die trying. _

_ Good luck. _

It took a moment for Kanami to close her mouth, her jaw having dropped in shock at the tape. “Misaki…” she gasped, “What the hell have you gotten yourself into?”

“I’m not sure,” Misaki finally said, after a long moment of silence, “But I have to do it.”

Kanami frowned, rolling her eyes. “I know,” she said, “I know you have to.”

Misaki looked up at her slowly before Kanami smiled and continued, “But you’re an idiot if you think I’m letting you do it alone.”


	7. a doll's memory, a future untold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April and July want to join Section Four
> 
> Meanwhile, Yin reveals a shocking truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy

Misaki was sitting at Hourai’s - well, now her - desk, rifling through papers and mindlessly talking to Kanami. The redhead was lazily sprawled on the sofa, sipping from a cheap cardboard coffee cup. 

“Hey,” Kanami began, a smirk creeping onto her face, “I kinda wanna go out with Kouno…”

Misaki scoffed. “What is it with you two?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, twirling a small section of her hair between her fingers, “I just can’t  _ not _ appreciate his awkward flirting. Also, he’s hot. Like very objectively hot. And besides, he's definitely chaotic enough for me.”

Misaki simply rolled her eyes, typing rapidly on her computer. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn’t notice the gentle tapping on her office door until Kanami called out, “Come in!”

A tall woman walked in, the small blonde boy next to her maintaining his firm grip on her hand as they sat down in the chairs in front of Misaki.

“Hello April,” Misaki said, a note of surprise in her voice, “Hi July.”

July gave a quiet, “Hello Misaki,” before reaching for the small glass on her table, his hand stopped just before he grasped it. When Misaki gave him a smile and a single nod of approval, he grabbed the glass, cupping it between his hands.

April sat back in her chair, resting her elbow on the side and raising her arm. “We were hoping to speak with you about something. Well, more me.”

Kanami sat up, staring with narrowed eyes at July. “You’re July? The one Misaki told me about?” she asked, her voice piqued with interest. 

He nodded, and April gave him a single wave. Walking over to Kanami, he sat down next to her on the couch. “Chief Ishizaki,” he remarked quietly.

“Please, call me Kanami. But how did you know who I am?” she asked.

His fingers tightened slightly around the glass in his hands. “I like to visit the mediums.”

Kanami gave a slight gasp, quickly beginning to ask July various questions. When it was clear they were absorbed in their conversation - and it was definitely a conversation, July was more than happy to answer her questions - April turned back to Misaki.

“I have a… proposal,” April said.

Misaki nodded and closed her computer. “I’m listening.”

April’s eyes flitted in July’s direction. “I’m sure you’re aware that July and I are currently out of jobs,” she began. “The SIS cut us loose after the attack on Hell’s Gate. The only reason we’re still alive is because the Syndicate relinquished control over MI-6 after Decade died.”

Misaki could see where this conversation was going, and she wasn’t at all opposed to it, but she maintained her poker face. “Go on.”

“We think, actually, we know, that you’d benefit greatly if you had a contractor on your team, and I can’t imagine Japan’s doll network would be able to best July in terms of surveillance. And since we need jobs, we thought it would be worth asking,” she explained, looking briefly towards July and Kanami again.

“Kanami,” Misaki began, “Come here.”

She obliged, and July followed. She sat on the edge of Misaki’s desk as July planted himself next to April. “What’s our network’s response time?” she asked.

Kanami’s brows furrowed for a moment. “We can do a full scan of Tokyo within fifteen minutes, but unless we get very lucky, we typically can’t find targets before they escape. And since our mediums are plugged directly into the network, they can’t trace anyone the way a single surveillance doll can.”

Misaki thought about how best to approach the offer before asking, “You wouldn’t have trouble following our guidelines? This isn’t the Syndicate, procedure is important.”

“Of course,” April replied.

“And I wouldn’t be able to pay July,” Misaki said. “I’ve seen his skill with recon, but useful or not, he  _ is  _ a child, and I can’t imagine MIAC would be willing to pay a doll even if they were an adult.”

“I don’t need money,” July said quietly.

Misaki smiled slightly as April reached for another empty glass, giving her wrist a single flick. Her eyes shone a bright red, the light pouring from her body for just a moment as a small cloud formed above it, beginning to rain until the glass filled halfway with water. She took a single long sip from the cup before returning her attention to Misaki.

“Hypothetically, if you did come to work for Section Four, would you require anything of us beyond what we typically provide for our employees?” Misaki asked.

“Not that I can think of,” April replied, pulling a small can of beer from her purse. “I have a place here,” she explained, taking a short sip. “And seeing as I’ve taken care of July since we were… fired, I wouldn’t need anything more for him.”

“Glasses,” July said quietly, pointing to his eyes.

April and Misaki both turned to him in surprise, while Kanami gave a soft laugh. “I imagine that would make observation easier, wouldn’t it?”

He gave a small nod.

Misaki smiled slightly, turning back to April. “I would have to clear it with quite a few different people, but I absolutely think it’s a worthwhile venture to consider. I certainly don’t doubt either of your abilities.”

April pulled a small piece of paper from her coat’s pocket and handed it to her. “My number. Give me a call, we can have a more formal discussion sometime.” She turned, reaching for July’s hand as he gently placed the glass back on Misaki’s desk. 

April paused for a moment, before she turned back and said, “Now that I think about it, I would prefer not having to buy my own beer if I’m using my power for work.”

\---

Hei woke up with a start, gasping and choking and clawing at his own neck, searching desperately for the deep bloody slash he had received in his nightmare. His hair was slicked back with sweat, his body trembling.

“Hei,” Yin whispered, “Hei.”

He shook violently as her arms wrapped around his body. “Hei.”

There was something about her voice, the way she said his name. She didn’t need to talk him down from his panicked state, her embrace and how she quietly said his name brought him back. Slowly - always slowly - he came back to life.

“Hei,” she said again, as he snapped back to the world around him.

“I’m okay,” he murmured, “I’m alright.”

Her hands found his neck, resting her forehead against his. “I’m here.”

His breath slowly returned to normal, leveling out as he gave a small sigh. He pulled away for a moment, looking around the room in confusion. “Where did they go?”

“Training,” Yin said. “They wanted Pitch to practice locating and tracking.”

Hei slowly sat up, taking Yin’s hand and leading her to the couch. He reached for one of the bento boxes on the table and opened it. “We can share it.”

Her lips pursed slightly for a moment before she gave a reluctant nod. “Alright.”

The food was less than sublime, and Hei’s appetite was less than curbed, but it was enough to keep them alive and healthy. It went quickly, with Hei practically insisting that Yin eat at least half of it to ensure she wouldn’t be hungry.

“That didn’t taste half bad,” Hei remarked, putting the empty box back onto the table and lying back against the couch.

Yin reached for Hei’s hand, gently rubbing her thumb over his palm. “Are you feeling better?”

He gave a single small nod and flashed her a smile. Yin hesitated for a moment, before the faintest pink blush flooded her cheeks and she leaned forward.

“Can I sit on your lap?”

It was Hei’s turn to blush, his cheeks and nose burning a dark pink as he coughed quietly, nodding eagerly at her. “Mm-hmm.”

She slowly shifted onto his lap, positioning her legs on either side of his and loosely wrapping her arms around his neck, straddling him as her lips turned up in a slight smile. 

“We got it right.”

Hei’s brow furrowed slightly. “What do you mean?”

Yin paused for a moment, weighing her potential response. “I’m a doll,” Yin explained. “Somehow - I don’t know why or how - but somehow I don’t forget. I don’t think the other dolls forget either.”

Hei’s face was colored with confusion, concern, and his mind filled with a hundred different questions.

“Forget what?” he asked after a long pause.

For the first time since her mother died, sadness returned to Yin’s face - entirely uninhibited by her body’s programming - and she frowned as she replied, “We don’t forget when Amber reverses time.”

Hei frowned for a moment, before his confusion cleared with recognition and shock flooded his face. “You… wait… you remember?”

The implications of this - the truths she could offer him - were not lost to Hei. She knew the weight of her statement, and yet somehow he knew it was a burden she could never place on him, knowledge she would never provide him with.

And he couldn’t decide if he was grateful for that.

“Every time,” she answered, her sadness clearing with a soft smile. “But we got it right this time.”

“So what does that mean?”

Yin’s gaze, vacant as ever, returned to him as her smile widened. “We don’t get separated. We can be together.”

Hei smiled up at her, his hesitations washed away. “I’m happy with that.”

Yin leaned down to kiss him, her hands finding his hair as he held her waist. She was getting more comfortable with the pressure, the awkward rehearsed movement of her lips replaced by the typical quiet confidence she usually exuded.

The deep pink flush of Hei’s cheeks didn’t fade.

Her lips fell open slightly as the gentle press of Hei’s tongue, smiling and exhaling quietly through her nose. She hesitantly flicked her tongue against his, moving past his lips, fingers running through his hair before she slowly pulled away.

“You taste nice,” she remarked.

Hei stifled a cough, covering his face as his nose and cheeks burned a dark red. “Yin! Yo-you… can’t just say stuff like…”

He trailed off when he caught the confusion in her expression, sighing quietly. Apparently explaining human embarrassment to a doll was less than useful, and Yin was no exception.

“Just kiss me again,” he mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts on hei and yin?
> 
> also i need July to have a hobby, and i'm torn between drawing and poetry. what should i pick?


End file.
